the house was in session at the federal government entered day five of the shutdown. lawmakers approved a bill unanimously to retroactively pay federal workers impacted by the shutdown. for that, they also approved a nonbinding resolution that would allow military chaplains to continue performing religious services on military property. debate on both those measures that preceded the final vote. about one hour and 15 minutes. >> i rise in strong support of the measure by doug collins. his resolution goes to the heart of the constitution's ability to worship without interference. i thank him for bringing it to the floor. the resolution expresses the sense of congress regarding the need for the continued

availability of religious services to members of the armed forces and their families during . lapse of appropriations a with my sons serving in the military, i know firsthand of the importance of chaplains. specifically, addressing the issues these has became aware of yesterday. religious services for military personnel are being curtailed or not offered at all because federal civilian employees serving as chaplains or personnel contracted to perform the duties of military chaplains have been furloughed. this is an extremely important issue for all of us to work together. there is no doubt that the furloughing of personnel hired or contracted to perform the duties of military chaplains is having an effect. just in this region, church services, back dozens -- baptisms, weddings have been curtailed. the active-duty priest navy yard canceled mass.

they do not have a priest there this weekend. therefore, half of the masses have been canceled. the impact is even more severe overseas, where options for worship are far more limited than the united states. what is more disturbing, the general schedule of civilian and contractor chaplains are being told that if they do come to their jobs they will be trespassing. this is just not right. the performance of religious ofvices and the provision protected activities under the first amendment of the united dates constitution. if the department of interior can permit world war ii veterans in performance of first amendment activities to visit the memorial constructed to honor their service, then certainly the secretary of defense can permit similar first amendment activities. the secretary can and must allow military chaplains and other personnel, including contract personnel hired to perform duties of a military chaplain,

to perform religious services. in the same manner and to the , as such chaplains and other personnel are allowed to perform religious services when there is an appropriation. it is that simple. i urge the secretary of defense to do the simple thing, the right thing, allow all chaplains -- to armed forces to be minister on hand or did to the men and women of the armed forces of the united states areas i congratulate doug collins of georgia, chaplain of the u.s. air force reserve, to bring -- for bringing this to the floor and urge all members to support it. >> the gentleman from south carolina reserves his time. the gentleman from washington is recognized. >> i yield myself such time as i may consume. i do not oppose this resolution. but i do want to raise a couple

of process issues. i found out about this 20 minutes ago. and i think it is emblematic of how much this body has broken down. we have to talk to each other. i do not have any objection to this. i have staff, the armed services committee has a staff that work together. we have worked together in the armed services committee better than any other committee. i will grant you that is not saying much. but we have. we just simply have to talk to each other. why would we spring this on us at the last minute, not have a communication about it? it is not something we object to. getting past this individual issue, it is a mimetic of the entire problem. the republicans are complaining because the senate is not talking to them, the president is not talking to them about the cr and the debt ceiling. there are reasons for that. but we have reached an epidemic of not talking to each other. on something as small as this we cannot even have a communication.

>> will the gentleman yield? >> i will gladly yield. >> mr. smith, i agree. i want to commend you. we worked together in extraordinary fashion. in fact, the national defense authorization act has passed the house. an indication of your good will and good faith. i believe the reason this has come up so quickly, of course, is because this was only learned late yesterday. of chaplains to be declared trespassing is inconceivable. it needs to be addressed. >> but again come of the communication has fallen apart. we do not know one minute to the next what we will be voting on. the schedule has been changed at a moments notice. shutdown of the 1995 there was greater communication between the majority and the minority of what was going on. in fact, we had a lot of the small bills that fund pieces of the government.

the one thing the majority did is they granted the full house a vote on a clean resolution. it only pertains to spending. does not pertain to other policy issues. that was granted, the house republicans voted it down. but at least we had a vote. we also had a discussion about what we would fund during the shutdown. the complete and utter breakdown into indication between the majority party, the minority party, the senate, the house, the white house, is doing an unbelievable disservice to this country. -- let's at least have communication. i want to paint the picture here. we all have our talking points. i have heard all those talking points this morning. i have heard them so much that i am sure the american people and i are sick to death of those talking points areas they are poll tested, they are wonderful, they play to the base, they are great. and here we are in day five going nowhere.

the basic problems. number one, on the cr, the health-care policy issue. the republicans, it is no secret, want to get rid of the health-care law. the trouble is they do not have the votes to do it and are therefore willing to hold up the funding of the government to advance the policy agenda. that plays into a larger issue. areso want to tell you we 12 days now away from defaulting. and we are going to default at this point because what i hear from my republican colleagues is, no, no, we do not want to default. netong as we cut a spending, do tax reform, we will be fine. which is what we have been hearing since january of 2011. i just went to explain briefly to the american people what the difference in the positions are. i will be as fair and honest as i can be. the republicans believe strongly that we should severely cut spending. cutting spending at this point means mark -- mandatory programs, entitlements. cutave already

discretionary spending down to the level they agreed to. the spending level is down. the deficit is high, so they want to cut spending. the difference of opinion is whether or not we should also raise taxes as part of that deal to deal with the deficit. the president, the senate, democrats and the house, which i realize is a relevant because we do not have the votes. they do in the senate and the president has the veto. if there is going to be any entitlement cuts they have to be accompanied by tax increases. the root of offense -- republicans say as lily not. the problem is the publicans won 234 seats in the house. interestingly, they lost the overall vote in congress by a count of 52-48, but redistricting plays out the way it does. they did not win the presidency and did not win the senate. they are trying to take those

234 votes and jam their broader agenda down everybody's throat. the piece they have is they are willing to not fund the government and not raise the debt ceiling in order to put us in a bad position to do that. i tell you, democrats cannot vote to cut entitlements if there are not tax increases attached to that. so i hope somebody somewhere wakes up to this reality before we default and stops insisting that somehow, miraculously in the next 12 days democrats are going to magically agreed to cut entitlements with no revenue and maybe do some big competition tax reform bill that cuts taxes even further. if that reality does not set in, we are in for several weeks of great calamity that is going to cause greater damage to what has been caused here. with that, i support the resolution and reserve the balance of my time. >> the gem from south carolina is recognized. -- mr. speaker, i

want to again commend mr. smith. he has reached across to try to work together. inreferencing the shutdown 1995, there is a difference. it begins at the top. sadly, the president of the united dates, two weeks ago last said he was not going to negotiate. in the 1995 shutdown there was communication between the president and the speaker prior to the shutdown and during the entire shutdown. and now yield two minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from louisiana, dr. john fleming. >> recognized for two minutes. >> thank you, mr. speaker. friend, stanod wilson. i also thank my good friend doug collins for bringing this measure up today. mr. speaker, the first amendment rights of our military do not sunset with a lack of appreciation's -- appropriations or even a shutdown.

the free exercise of religion is codified in the constitution of the united states and celebrated by every american, including those of us who have, do, or will wear the uniform. military chaplains faithfully serve a unique role in the military, ensuring that people of all beliefs are able to celebrate mass or participate in a worship service according to the dictates of their faith. right, this protective the department of defense has decided to effectively close the doors of many churches and chapels this weekend by not allowing military chaplains to perform their religious duties on military installations because the federal government has not passed the relevant appropriations bill of fy 2014. mr. speaker, i contend that the freedom of religion does not follow the federal government's fiscal policy. the freedom of religion is a

24/seven constitutional right that should garner unconditional support from this administration and our military leaders. i stand strong with the brave men and women serving in our nations military and urge my colleagues to support this resolution. i yield back. >> the gentleman from south carolina reserves. the gentleman from washington is recognized. >> i yield one and a half minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. andrews. >> recognize for a minute and a half. you. i think my friend for yielding. the president of the united states has spent weeks negotiating with the republican party. what he has been confronted with each time is a demand to either shut the government down or default on the country's debt. i wanted to put this in another frame of reference as a rise in support of this bill. on eight occasions when president george w. bush was president we had the majority on our side and we agreed to a

continuing resolution, a clean continuing resolution. we had many differences with president bush. over the iraq war, over issues of health care, issues of the budget. but on eight occasions president bush came to the democratic majority and asked to continue to run the government, and we said yes. the principle at stake is whether negotiations means you have to have everything you want all the time and shut the government down if you do not. that is not the way you do business. that is why three quarters of the american people agree that shutting the government down over the health care law is the wrong thing to do. i yield back. >> the gentleman from washington reserves. the gentleman from south carolina. >> i yield two minutes to my friend and colleague, the congresswoman from tennessee, marsha blackburn. >> recognize for two minutes. >> thank you, mr. speaker. as we heard, we received this news yesterday that our priests and ministers could end up

facing government arrest if they attempt you celebrate mass or openly practice their faith on a military base during this government shutdown. a shutdown we did not want. a shutdown that could have been avoided had the president and senator reid agreed to negotiate with us. this is so unfortunate. no mass, no communion, no confession, no faith, no religion. religious beliefs predate government. government should not be able to tell those who are religious whether they can practice their , regardless of our government funding situation. what we are seeking is accountability, transparency, and reducing what the federal government spends. government funding is irrelevant to the religious rights and freedoms that are enshrined in the first amendment of our

constitution. you do not get to throw away the constitution just because they are unwilling to sit down and negotiate and work with us through this process. we are not going to sit here and say, even if you volunteer to serve the faithful we are going to deny you. so i ask you, mr. speaker, will our priests and ministers this weekend, some of them on my post at fort campbell and -- in my district, are they going to be arrested if they recite a hail mary, if they lead a prayer? i think it is time for us to pass this legislation to agree that we let our men and women in uniform pray. let america pray. government should not arrest wants tocause some

play politics with the situation. >> the gentleman from south carolina reserves. the gentleman from washington. >> i yield myself such time as i may consume. i support this resolution. nobody is getting arrested for praying. i really wish we could keep the debate here in the realm of reality. i believe the issue is they have been furloughed in some instances so they are not allowed to carry on the services area i do not want that impression left dangling out there that we are somehow arresting people for going to church. we are most certainly not, and i wish the debate would remain a little more accurate. i want to make one other point. in 1995 is true that president clinton talked to republicans, ultimately he did not give them any of the policy items they are asking for. president obama said, we cannot talk about dismantling my health care law and adding policy riders to the cr or the debt

ceiling, because we need to keep the government running. there is one other difference which i know my republican colleagues will not address. the republican majority under newt gingrich in 1995 gave this has a vote, just like the senate has given everything you have sent over to the middle. -- senate. the house will not give a vote on the cr the senate passed. strongly as you do, bring it up and vote it down. that is in the constitution, too, by the way. i reserve the balance of my time. >> gentleman from south carolina -- >> i appreciate, again, your support of this. it is important because sadly information has been provided that chaplains would be subject to trespassing charges. this does obviously interfere with the ability of freedom is the general religion and

assembly. -- of speech and religion and assembly. i yield to my colleague from kansas, tim his camp. >> recognize for two minutes. >> mr. speaker, is it really the policy of this administration to make church service is it legal? to threaten catholic priests with jail if they sell a great mass this weekend? seems to bey, this a another tragic reflection of the complete disregard this administration has for americans of they. is ans worse, it unprecedented denial of a fundamental constitutional right of our men and women in uniform, like denying access to the world war ii and lincoln memorial. this is the first time in 17 previous funding lapses that our brave chaplains have been threatened with arrest if they perform their godly duties. secretary hegel must issue an immediate directive that

chaplains continue to perform their duties. that dod facilities used for religious services continue to be used. the first amendment is not some archaicrds on a dusty, document to be viewed somewhere in a museum. , who was ae my uncle active-duty chapman for nearly 30 years, the first amendment is what you do every day as a chaplain. leading men and women of all faiths. it is something real. the late father who was recently awarded the medal of honor by president obama. for him, the first amendment was not some empty words. it is what he did every day. it is the reason he gave his life for his country. the reason he is honored and recognized.

in honor of him and all current and former military chaplains, all members of the armed forces, let's strike a blow for religious liberty today. i urge my colleagues to join me sending a clear message to this administration that the right of our forces cannot be suspended. >> the gentleman from south carolina reserves. the gentleman from washington. >> i reserve as well. >> i yield the remainder of my time to the sponsor of this resolution, u.s. air force reserve chaplain, the gentleman .rom georgia, mr. doug collins >> mr. smith, do you have any other speakers? >> i do not. you have the right to close, so i will yield back. >> the gentleman from south

carolina is recognized. >> i yield to the sponsor of the resolution, congressman doug collins, a u.s. air force reserve chaplain. >> recognize for as much time as he wishes to consume. >> i thank the gentleman from south carolina, whose dedication to our men and women in uniform in this body.er i thank him for his service. i tell you today, i rise, mr. speaker, really with a troubled heart. with one on behalf of the men and women of the air force and the armed forces and others that are facing something today they should not have to face. there is no doubt our nation is facing many difficulties. body isrity of this standing united to fight for the future of our children and

grandchildren. i respect my colleague from across the aisle. these are legitimate fights we are having here. however, today as i stand, i came to this body also looking for practical things and looking for things that amaze me at times, and this is one that does. we must ensure the basic rights of all americans are protected and do not fall victim to the political theater occurring in this body. military personnel and their families make sacrifices many of us cannot fathom, and they do so freedom we take far too often for granted. because of their sacrifice, our nation is a beacon of hope to the dark corners of the world where freedom of speech and religion exists only in fairy tales. yet today, military chaplains have been contracted to come the bases face a closed-door. they cannot go, even if they wanted to volunteer to practice their faith during the last appropriations. each of us should call -- cause

for a moment to consider what i just said. if a chaplain once to minister to a military member abroad who has no access to a church, a mosque, or synagogue, they would be in violation of law. i am a military chaplain, and this breaks my heart. too often we come to this floor and talk and abstracts. concepts,out political jargon, problems that only matter probably within less than three miles of this building. but today is different. today we stand with one resounding voice to tell our service embers -- service members that we will not stand for their first amendment right to be violated because the leaders of the body want to make a point. the laws of this nation require the federal government to ensure military personnel can express their faith or non-faith in all corners of the world. that is why the military chaplaincy exists.

serve, wennot contract with others who can provide that. general george washington issued a order on july 9, 1776 inviting through the continental congress for a chaplain for each regiment, stating "the blessing and protection of heaven are at all times necessary, but especially in times of public distress and danger dog" evidentlystration is unsatisfied with denying veterans access to memorials. now they must go after, in the words of george washington, "the blessing and protection of heaven" for our military families. the body has seen a disagreement. the government has experienced numerous lapses in the decade, but never before in the history of this nation have military chaplains and as they contract with to serve our military personnel been prevented

as a chaplain, i lived alongside men and women in iraq, many were religious and many were not, but my purpose was to ensure they were able to express their first amendment rights however they wished. chaplains must be allowed and their contract counterparts must be allowed to provide religious services regardless of our nation's fiscal state. if the administration wants to play games and score points through unnecessary theatrics, so be it, but i will not stand by and let these games occur at the expense of basic rights of men and women in uniform. during this lapse in funding, active-duty chaplains are permitted to continue serving military personnel, however, there is a chronic shortage of active-duty chaplains, particular for catholic and jewish faiths. 25% of the military ascribed to the catholic faith, but yet priests make up only eight percent of the chaplains. that means 275,000 men and women in uniform are served by 200 34 active-duty priests.